The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-12-01

the multitudes of earth and hell confront
you, stand up to the charge. With
million against you, the match is just
even. Nay, you have decided advan-
tage. If God be for US, who can be
against uss Thus protected, you need not
spend much time in answering your as
sailants.
Many years ago word came to me that
two impostOrs, as temperance lecturers,
had been speaking in Ohio in various
places, and giving their experiences; and
they told their audience that they had
long been intimate with me, and had be-
come drunkards by dining at my table,
where I always had liquors of all sorts.
Indignant to the last degree, went down
to Patrick Campbell, chief of Brooklyn
police, saying was going to start that
night for Ohio to have these villains ar
rested, and wanted him to tell me how
to make en- arrest He smiled and said:
'Do not waste your time by chasing these
men. Go home and do your work and
they can do you no harm" took his
counsel, and all was well. Long ago
made up my mind that if one will put his
trust in God, aud be faithful to duty, he
need not fear any evil. Have God on
your side, young man, and all the COM
bined forces on earth and hell can do you
no damage.
And this leads me to say that the
mightiest of all defense for a young man
is the possession of thorough religious
principle. Nothing can take the place of
1t. He may have manners that would put
to shame the gracefulness and courtesy
of Lord Chesterfield. Foreign language
may drop from his tongue. He may be
able to discuss literature, and laws, and
foreign customs. He may WELD pen of
unequalej polish and power. His quick
ness and tact may qualify him for the
highest salary of the counting G. house. He
may be as sharp as Herod and as strong as
Samson, with as fine locks as those which
hung Absalom, still he is not safe from
COMMUNICATIONS. The more elegant his
manner, and the more fascinating his
dress, the more peril. Satan does not care
much for the allegiance of a coward and
an illiterate being. He can bring him into
efficient service. But he loves to storm
that castle Of character which has in it
the most spoils and treasures. 1t was not
some crazy craft creeping along the coast
with valueless cargo that the pirate at
tackled. but the ship, full winged and
tagged, plying between great ports, car.
rying its million of specie.
The more your natural and acquired &C.
complishments the more need of the re-
ligion &C Jesus. That does not cut in up
on or hack up any smoothness of DISPOSE
tion or behavior. 1t gives symmetry. 1t
arrests that in the soul which ought to be
arrested. and propels that which ought to
be propelled. 1t fills up the gulleys. II
elevates and transforms. To beauty it
gives more beauty, to tact more tact, to
enthusiasm of nature more enthusiasm.
When tEe Holy Spirit impresses the image
of God en- the heart He does not spoil the
canvas. If in all the multtudes
OF young men upon whom religion
has acted you could find one ma
ture that had been the least dam.
aged / would yield this proposition. You
may nov have enough strength of charac.
ter to fepel the various temptations to
gross wickedness which assail you, but
do not know in what strait you may be
thrust at some future time. Nothing
short OF the grace of the cross may then be
able to deliver you from the lions. You
are nos meeker than Moses, nor holier
than David, nor more patient than Job,
and you ought not to consider yourself in
valuable. You may have some weak point
of character that you have not discovered,
and in some hour when you are assaulted
the Phiiistme will be upon thee, Samson.
Truss not in your good habits, or your
earlv training, or your pride of character:
nothing short of the arm of the Almighty
God will be sufficient to uphold you. You
look forward to the world sometimes with
chilling dependency. Cheer up!
will tell you how you may make fortune:
Seek first the kingdom of God and His right
eousness, and all other things will be added
unto you.
I know you do not want to be mean in
this matter. Give God the freshness of
your life. You will not have the heart
to drink down the trimming cup of
life and then pour out the dregs on Gods
altar. To Saviour so infinitely gen.
erous you have not the heart to act like
that. That is not brave, that is not hon.
orable, that is not manly. Your greatest
want in all the world is a new heart In
Gods name 1 tell you that And the
Blessed Spirit presses through the solem-
mites and privileges of this holy hour.
Put the cup of life eternal to your thirsty
lips. Thrust it not back. Mercy offers it,
bleeding mercy, long suffering mercy.
Reject all other friendships, be ungrateful
for all other kindness, prove recreant to
all other bargains, bit despise Gods love
for yolrr immortal soul-don't you do that.
l would like to see some of you this
hour press out of the ranks of the world
and lay your conquered spirit ut the feet
of Jesus. This hour is no wandering
vagabond staggering over the earth, it is
| winged messenger of the skies whisper
ing mercy to thy soul. Life is smooth
now, but after awhile it may be rough,
wild and precipitous. There comes
crisis in the history of every man. We
seldom understand that turning point
until it is far past.
The road of life is forked, and read OF.
two sign-boards: ''This is the way to hap
piness," "This is the way to ruin" How
are we to pass the forks of the road with
out thinking whether it comes out at the
door OF bliss or the gates of darkness?
Mary years ago l stood on the anniver.
sary platform with a minister of Christ.
who made this remarkable statment:
"Tkirty years ago two young men
started out in the evening to attend Park
Theater, New York, where play was to
be acted in which the cause of religion
was to be placed in ridiculous and
hypocritical light. They came to the
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